BENT is having a busy summer
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, August 27th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – The Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team saw a multi-year investigation result in a federal prison sentence and made an arrest of an alleged drug trafficker over the summer.
Operation Midnight Voucher
BENT, assisted by the Oregon U.S. Attorney’s Office, saw Amador Mora-Madrigal, 61, of the Tri-Cities, sentenced in late July to 110 months in federal custody for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Dubbed Operation Midnight Voucher, Pendleton Police Chief Chuck Byram says the investigation basically dismantled Mora-Mardigal’s drug trafficking organization with seizures of fentanyl, service of multiple search warrants, and the arrest and prosecution of several members of the organization.
“In total, more than 30,000 fentanyl pills, eight firearms, and over $500,000 were seized from the DTO’S members,” Byram stated in a news release. “During the years of Operation Midnight Voucher, Mora-Madrigal’s DTO was a top supplier of fentanyl to the Umatilla and Morrow County area.”
Mora-Madrigal had several residences in the area of the Tri-Cities, but operated exclusively in those two areas. Seizures of fentanyl were made in Boardman, Irrigon, Umatilla, Hermiston, Stanfield, Pendleton and on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
The BENT-led investigation was assisted by the U.S. Attorney offices in both Portland and the Eastern District of Washington, the Federal Bureau of Investigation office in the Tri-Cities, the Walla Walla Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration in the Tri-Cities, and the Tri-Cities METRO Task Force.
Drug trafficker arrested in Hermiston
BENT, assisted by the Oregon State Police, served a search warrant for illegal narcotics at 1800 N.E. 10th Street, Space No. 6 in Hermiston on June 5. Juan Ramon Molina, 39, described as the principal subject of interest, was arrested at the residence.
He allegedly was found in possession of more than 53 pounds of methamphetamine, more than four pounds of heroin, eight firearms, cash, and materials associated with drug trafficking. The meth and heroin seized has a street value of over $850,000.
“Molina is suspected of being a high-level drug trafficker and this was a long-term investigation into his drug trafficking organization which operated not only in Umatilla and Morrow County, but in other parts of the state of Oregon as well as in the state of Washington,” Byram stated. “The investigation is ongoing.”
Molina is was indicted by a Umatilla County grand jury with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, two counts of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of heroin, and two counts of unlawful delivery of heroin.
BENT, founded in 1984 by the Oregon State Police and the Pendleton Police Department, is a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force working primarily in the Umatilla County and Morrow County areas. BENT is comprised of members from the Oregon State Police, Pendleton Police Department, Hermiston Police Department, Boardman Police Department, Morrow County Sheriff’s Office, Umatilla Tribal Police Department, Milton Freewater Police Department, Oregon National Guard, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Umatilla County District Attorney’s Office.
